TOLEDO

Set in the sunbaked cilantro fields of California, a teenage cowboy harbors unspoken love for a local girl who speaks a different language. With his return to Mexico looming, Santos must find the courage to confess—before time runs out and a rival stands in his way. As cultures collide, he’s forced to confront who he is, and what love is worth.

Toledo is an award-winning narrative film rooted in family, identity, and the stories we carry. Inspired by the filmmaker’s immigrant father, the project was brought to life with a crew of over 30 on California’s Central Coast, in partnership with Tally Farms and other local businesses. Executive produced by Chase Stokes and Jonathan Daviss, the film reflects a commitment to storytelling that connects both on screen and with audiences beyond it.

ELLIE

A music video made with a bare-bones crew, a big group of performers, original choreography, and less than $1,000 to work with. It was scrappy in the best way—figuring things out as we went, leaning on each other, and staying really grounded in tone and feeling. It ended up being one of the most fulfilling projects I’ve ever been part of, and a reminder of why I love making things.

LIFT OFF

Shot on Goat Island SC, with some cast and crew from the Outer Banks series, this is the past/present story of a young man who lives in a fantasy world of aeronautics to escape a more challenging reality.

A short film shot on Goat Island, South Carolina with an all-local crew, and my first professional project as a filmmaker. It was also my first collaboration with Rudy Pankow, which came together while I was working as a PA on Outer Banks. It’s one of the most personal pieces I’ve made, and something that’s continued to resonate with people in ways I’m really grateful for.

VIRGO

A proof of concept I made after Lift Off and Outer Banks, reuniting with Rudy Pankow, Drew Starkey, and Elaine Siemek. It’s centered on a down-and-out rock band on California’s Central Coast, and was shot with a crew of maybe three people. It was super stripped back—just us figuring it out in real time, chasing tone and feeling, and building something from instinct more than anything else.

Friends call us unlucky

When Lucky and Dex, two naive and ill-equipped criminals, bungle a home invasion attempt, the homeowners early return sets off a series of events showcasing luck has nothing to do with it.

A short film shot on the Central Coast with Eric Stein and Gabriel Warburton. It was the biggest budget I’d worked with at the time and my first time really working with producers, which felt like a shift for me. I was figuring out how to navigate something bigger while still holding onto my voice, and that balance became a big part of the process.